Mr Brightside headlines quality C.F. Orr Stakes field

February 7, 2024 1:29 pm.

Mr Brightside will kick off his autumn campaign in the Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes on Saturday. (Photo: George Sal/Racing Photos)

The Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes will headline the 10-race meeting at Caulfield on Saturday afternoon, with nine runners accepting for the first Group 1 since the turn of the year.

Four of those nine combatants have already won Group 1 races, while seven have placed at the top level.

It was recently announced by Racing Victoria that the C.F. Orr Stakes would be one of the eight qualifying races for the revamped All-Star Mile, which means the winner of this year’s race will lock in a start for the $5 million race.

Mr Brightside will kick off his autumn campaign on Saturday, and he has opened as a -125 favourite with online bookmakers.

The Ben, Will & JD Hayes-trained galloper will be seeking to add another win at the highest level after he added the Makybe Diva Stakes and Memsie Stakes to his resume last spring.

Ciaron Maher and Declan Bates will combine with Pride Of Jenni (+500), who returns from a spell after an outstanding Melbourne Cup Carnival where she became the third horse to win back-to-back Group 1 races during Cup Week at Flemington.

Fresh off his win in the Group 2 Australia Stakes at Moonee Valley first-up, Veight (+600) from the Tony & Calvin McEvoy yard will seek his maiden Group 1 success at the fourth time of asking.

Rounding out the runners under double figures is the James Cummings-trained Pericles (+650), who is returning from a break after his second-place finish in the Golden Eagle.

The C.F. Orr Stakes will be race nine on the Caulfield program and is scheduled to jump at 4:55pm AEDT.